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Additional Photos of this Nissan GT-R

2009 Nissan GT-R Review

This car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale.All-new performance car instant hit in America.

IntroductionNissan has been selling the Skyline in Japan for almost 20 years, long enough that the first one to make it to the U.S. officially is the fifth generation. This fifth-generation of the affordable supercar comes to America as the Nissan GT-R, retailing for about $70,000.

The Nissan GT-R boasts performance of far more expensive cars. Its super slick, all-wheel-drive dutifully and invisibly channels the engine's 480 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque to whichever tires offer the most grip. This is most remarkable when enlisted in the Launch Control algorithm, which lets drivers make like Michael Schumacher in their own Stop Light Grands Prix. A twin-clutch, sequential-shifting, six-speed manumatic transaxle is competitive with the best prancing horse logoed car's and the equal of or better than the best of either Stuttgart or Munich.

This car is so good, so much fun to drive, whether slogging and, when the opportunity presents, darting through rush hour traffic or blurring telephone poles on empty back roads.

The GT-R comes with every comfort and convenience a driver and passenger need, and most of what a driver and passenger could want. The sports car-like cabin is climate controlled. The navigation system responds to voice commands. Behind the navigation system's LCD lie 11 pages of data, graphs and virtual gauges that tell the tale on more of the car's dynamics than most drivers can, or want to, be bothered knowing. All this makes even the infernal red start/stop button that takes the place of a perfectly functional key tolerable. At least, most of the time.

Nissan plans to sell about 2400 GT-Rs through 700 specially certified Nissan dealers, a super car fully homologated and certified to U.S. safety and emission standards and ready for everyday use just like any other Nissan the dealer sells. But that's about the extent of the similarities between this ultra-refined supercar and the Altimas, Versas, Maximas and, yes, 350Zs that yearn to share a little of the GT-R's glow. The time may come, if Nissan survives as a major player in the U.S. market despite the shrinking new car market and some not-so-minor missteps by its French management, that the GT-R will be seen not just a stupendous achievement as a legitimate entry in the supercar ranks, but also as nothing less than the salvation of the brand. One car gave that kind of spark to Datsun. The GT-R may for Nissan.

The Nissan GT-R comes in one body style, a two-door, 2+2 quasi-coupe. There's also but one powertrain offered, a twin-turbocharged, 3.6-liter V6 driving all four wheels through a six-speed, twin-clutch, sequential-shifting, automated-manual transaxle. Shifts are managed either by computer or by steering column-mounted magnesium paddle shifters.

The GT-R Premium model ($71,900) adds heated front seats, a Bose audio system with 11 speakers, including two subwoofers stacked vertically in a panel separating the rear seats, and run-flat summer Bridgestones.

Options include the Cold Weather Package (no charge) with all-season Dunlop tires on bright silver wheels and a 50/50 coolant mix. The Super Silver special paint ($3000) is hand-polished before receiving three clearcoats. An iPod converter ($360) and GT-R floor mats ($280) can be installed at port of entry or by the dealer.

Safety features that come standard include pre-tensioners on the front three-point belts; pre-tensioners on the rear seat three-point seat belts; dual-stage frontal airbags. Active safety features include antilock brakes that let the driver steer during a panic stop; brake assist, which reads the way the driver hits the brake pedal to quicken the system's response in emergencies; and electronic brake-force distribution, which optimizes front/rear brake balance for what a computer decides is the quickest, best-controlled stop in all conditions; traction control, which minimizes wheel spin during acceleration; and Nissan's Vehicle Dynamic Control system, which monitors various yaw sensors in an effort to keep the car going where it should go. A tire pressure monitoring system comes standard. Optional are torso-protecting front seat-mounted side impact airbags and the head-preserving roof-mounted side air curtains, which come on the Premium model.

WalkaroundAesthetically, the Nissan GT-R is neither a modernized E-Type nor a resurrection of the earliest Z cars, way back when they wore the Datsun badge. This car has none of the natural beauty of those cars, which looked like they'd gone directly to the showroom from whimsical sketches on a dinner napkin. What it does have is a sense of polished purpose, of function dictated by the need to slip through the air with minimal disturbance blended with a form shaped to let the eye flow over its lines and curves just as easily. Sort of a svelte Bauhausian ethic. All is not perfect, however, as here and there a styling cue hints of other, seriously lower level sporty and sports cars in a way that subconsciously jars the senses.

The grille design evokes the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. It's almost cause to wonder whether the stylists for the two cars studied under the same professors at design school. The GT-R's grille design, however, does multi-duty. Besides channeling air to the intercooler, radiators and climate control system's heat exchanger coils, the design enhances front downforce. The lower grille opening houses two, jet intake-like, side-mount scoops that cool the massive vented and drilled front brake discs and their full-floating, six-piston Brembo calipers. A polished, black, understated but effective chin spoiler extends beneath the front bumper like a lower lip. High-relief, lift-countering indents wrap around the lower corners of the front fenders. Pentagonal headlight housings fill the top of the fenders. Two functional NACA vents straddle the hood's power bulge.

The front fenders give the GT-R a broad-shouldered presence leading to a narrower, kind of pinched waist body section; think less dramatic Mazda RX-8. Narrow extractor vents that vacuum lift-inducing airflow from under the front end fit into a tall slot between the fenders' trailing edge and the side body panel. An awkward GT-R badge tries to imply motion by swooping back from the top of the vent but only serves to mar the sleek flanks. Fully recessed door handles pivot out a finger grip when the dimpled rear portion is pressed; immediately aft of that is an angled, rectangular button that unlocks the door, provided the RFID fitted key fob is within range.

Frameless door windows and fixed rear quarter windows taper sharply toward the rear, denying much-needed headroom for entering and exiting the car. One bystander said he thought Mustang at his first sight of the side windows and top, what Nissan calls an aero blade canopy roofline. The rear quarter panel balloons outward from the narrower mid-section just enough to cover the rear tires. The barest of a concentric blister highlights the perfectly circular front and rear wheelwells. The front end's polished black lower lip picks up after the front wheelwell and runs the length of the side body panels to the rear wheelwells, with the visual effect of masking just how close the GT-R sits to the road. Balancing the view through the seven-spoke wheels of the bright red front Brembo calipers are bright red, full-floating, four-piston rear Brembo calipers that clamp down on vented and drilled rear brake discs.

The mildly rounded but mostly vertical rear fascia holds symmetrical pairs of smaller and larger taillights and a sharply recessed license plate surround. The Nissan logo on the liftgate and a GT-R badge fit the car better than the GT-R swoop on the front quarter panel, although all four are unnecessary adornments. A slim rear wing, rounded in a droop at the ends to match the rear quarter panels' tumble, rides the trailing edge of the trunk lid. More of that polished black lower panel loops around the back end, hosting matched sets of dual exhaust tips and a fully integrated, carbon fiber rear diffuser. From this viewpoint, the one most drivers will see of the GT-R, it's difficult to believe the rear track is a mere 0.4 inches wider than the front track.

InteriorThe interior of the Nissan GT-R echoes the ethic of the exterior, again nicely blending function and form. The only features for which a control seemed at first unintuitive were those not widely available in other cars, regardless of price or market niche.

The driver's seat feels form-fitted with its eight-way power adjustments. Bottom and side bolsters grip upper legs and torso with confidence. Thigh support is better than average. The front passenger seat has no height adjustment, as with most cars. This leaves the passenger peering out the front and side windows like some prairie dog popping its head up out of its hole in a field in Kansas.

There's more than adequate room in front for people up to several inches taller than six feet.

The rear seats are another story. Usable rear-seat legroom is zero, even with the front seats set for a 5-foot, 4-inch person. They're best considered as absorbent elements in an acoustic chamber for the Premium sound system's two subwoofers. Given the paucity of rear-seat room, there's little likelihood the GT-R will be asked to provide for more than the driver and a passenger for any length of time, so the 8.8 cubic feet of trunk space should be adequate for a long weekend road trip. At the same time, it's about right for a week's worth of groceries or a couple golf bags.

Trim materials are rich without being plush or luxurious. The padded parts look hand-stitched. Front-seat bolsters are leather, insets a faux suede that's the only part that comes up a bit short on presentation. The cabin is trimmed in low-luster, finely grained plastic and satin-finished aluminum. Lower door kick panels are a low-nap fabric. Seams and trim elements fit snugly, with no misalignments or unexpected gaps.

Buttons, switches and knobs give good and consistent tactile feel. Functions are all surface mounted, as in, not buried beneath some over-the-top, fancy-shmancy Super Knob perched on the center console waiting to frustrate all but the most technophile drivers. Getting comfortable with the LCD display and associated controls takes some time and effort, but they're more transparent and intuitive than they look. The stereo control head has a volume knob, a tuning knob and six buttons for station presets. Likewise with the climate control panel, which offers symmetrically placed and sized knobs and push buttons. A horizontal bar beneath the climate and stereo control panel houses levers for toggling between the three settings for suspension, shift points and VDC. Sadly, of the two power points, the most accessible for a radar detector is tucked away in the center console back between the front seats.

The instrument cluster holds four gauges and the LED gear indicator. The tachometer occupies the center space, with the speedometer conjoined off to the left; interesting, in a tempting sort of way, is the layout of the numbers on the speedometer. They start with 0 mph at about the 4 o'clock position, 120 mph at 9 o'clock and 220 mph between 1 o'clock and 2 o'clock. The other two gauges, to the right of the tachometer with the gear indicator, show coolant temperature and fuel level. Readouts for the remaining engine-related vitals are accessible through the LCD display.

Visibility out the front and to the sides is good. Rear quarter and back window sight lines aren't so good. That rear spoiler doesn't block enough of the rear window to obscure whether that car filling the rearview mirror is a police car or just someone in a Crown Vic. And the ballooning rear fenders encourage setting the outside mirrors at wide enough angles that the ever present blind spot doesn't hide as much as usual.

Drivers can tailor the multi-layered information center to provide display data on the LCD on front/rear torque distribution; lateral, longitudinal and total overall G-forces; inputs from accelerator, brake pedal and steering wheel; lap times; as well as engine coolant temperature, oil pressure, turbo boost, and fuel economy. The driver can record this data, for example to gather data during a track session.

Driving ImpressionThe Nissan GT-R is meant to be enjoyed from inside, behind the wheel, not by scanning a specification sheet or gazing longingly at it in a parking lot. And from the driver's seat, it's better by quantum leaps than all these impressive data and great styling treatments promise.

The power curve is so nearly linear it's hard to believe the engine is turbocharged. Somewhere around 3500 rpm, there's the slightest bump, but it feels more like an engine coming on cam than two afterburner boosters stepping in. Shifts are quick and smooth, whether left to the transaxle's digital brain or managed by the driver's fingertips. Even with the transaxle in the R setting, which both sharpens the shifts and spreads them to higher performance points on the engine's power curve, gear changes are as certain as and less neck-snapping than those in the Ferrari F430 of a couple years ago, and with which the GT-R compares most favorably in every visceral and statistical measure, not least being price.

Drivers get to choose between three settings: Normal, Comfort, or R (for Race) for the suspension, transmission shift points, and the Vehicle Dynamic Control system's various algorithms, all of which work together in an attempt to keep the car within the confines of the inviolate laws of physics notwithstanding the self-perceived prowess of the driver.

Launch Control is a particularly enticing feature for drivers insisting on enjoying the GT-R to its absolute max. To engage Launch Control: Toggle up and hold the R levers for the transaxle and for the suspension until the little lights come on, and toggle down and hold the R lever for the VDC until that light comes on; the first two engage the R settings, the last turns off the VDC. Next, nudge the shift lever to the right, into the M mode. With the left foot on the brake pedal and the fingers of the right hand on the shift paddle, mash the throttle. The engine will spin up to and hold at 4500 rpm. Slip the left foot off the brake pedal and be ready to tug that shift paddle, as the engine will hit the rev limiter in first gear almost instantaneously. The rear tires will leave 10 or 12 feet of black dash marks while the traction control fights to hook them up, and then it's nothing but supremely balanced distribution of power to the tires with the best grip. It's useful for drag racing or F1-style standing starts.

The GT-R is equally competent driving quickly down twisting two-lane roads as it is a pleasure chugging along in the daily commute. Its 62 inch track (distance between the wheels side to side), large tire contact patches and 53/47 front/rear weight distribution deliver almost perfect response to steering inputs, with no hint of oversteer (where the rear of the car slides out) or understeer (where the car doesn't want to turn). It tracks confidently through corners, making slight adjustments to the line in response to changing pressure on the gas pedal. It straightens esses with ease, giving the driver clear indicators when transit speeds approach inadvisable levels.

The massive brakes never showed a hint of fade after miles of hard running, hauling the GT-R down time and again from high speeds to tight, first gear corners.

Obviously, those lesser-populated two-lanes are the GT R's preferred habitat, but it doesn't complain about sharing a crowded urban freeway or schlepping around town on weekend errands. The all-wheel-drive does, however, scrub the front tires on slow, tight turns, particularly noticeable in parking lots.

A cautionary note about ride quality: Toggle down the R lever for the suspension to get the Comfort setting. It's not that the Normal setting will have freeway expansion joints or railroad grade crossings sending drivers to the dentist to have their fillings re-glued, but the difference is substantial, and appreciated. In this measure, as well as in most others, from interior comfort to overall performance, the GT-R is on par with the best of what might be considered the competition, including the top Corvettes and Porsches and the BMW M6.

This is a hot rod, however. There are noticeable mechanical sounds from the clutches in the transaxle. First thought is that something back there needs some tightening. But after a while, when the link between the clicks and the gear changes becomes obvious, that initial worry fades. Those are the sounds of a high-performance mechanical beast. Road noise and wind noise are about what we expect in a modern supercar: There, but not intrusive. The stereo masks the most audible.

The GT-R is not the most fuel-efficient car on the road, which is not surprising. EPA estimates are 16/21 mpg City/Highway.

SummaryThe GT-R's long awaited arrival stateside has stoked a lot of anticipatory fires. Thankfully, for Nissan, the car lives up to the build up. From performance, both on the spec sheet and on the road, to styling and design, both inside and out, it's everything that was expected and more.

Model TestedNissan GT-R Premium ($71,900).The all-new Nissan GT-R is the fifth generation of this venerable Japanese supercar, but this is the first generation available to North American enthusiasts. Well known to video gamers in this part of the world as forbidden fruit, the GT-R brings new levels of performance and technology to Nissan's line-up. Powered by a hand-built 480-hp twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6, the GT-R makes good use of all that thrust through a paddle-shifted, rear mounted six-speed dual clutch sequential gearbox and electronic all-wheel drive. Roads and racetracks are handled by an electronically controlled independent suspension that adjusts itself to changing conditions, or allows the driver to chose a preferred setting. Handling is also assisted by 20" forged alloy wheels surrounding 15" cross-drilled Brembo brakes at all four corners. The interior features performance bucket seats, a console mounted starter button and a centrally mounted video screen that can display several pages of mechanical and driving information as well as navigation and audio.

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